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By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau Updated 10:59 AM Tuesday, February 9, 2010

COLUMBUS — After hearing scores of complaints from across the state, lawmakers are looking to put the brakes on a new $20 fine for drivers who are more than a week late registering their cars or renewing their licenses.

House Bill 428 sponsored by 38 lawmakers, mostly Republicans, calls for repealing the unpopular fees, which took effect Oct. 1. The GOP bill does not offer a way to replace the projected $19 million a year the late fees are expected to generate for the Ohio Highway Patrol’s operations.

Keary McCarthy, spokesman for House Democrats, said his caucus is working on a bill that would eliminate the $20 fees but also come up with a way to replace the money so that the patrol isn’t left short.

The patrol operates on a $300 million annual budget, including $274 million generated from fees. In recent years, lawmakers decided to shift patrol funding from gas tax revenues to fee-generated money.

The license and registration late fines were among a package of fees approved in the state budget bill last year. All told, they’re expected to generate more than $45 million.

“The people of Ohio do not want to be tricked into paying for hidden fees that are passed behind the backs of taxpayers,” said state Rep. Terry Blair, R-Washington Twp., one of eight Miami Valley Republican lawmakers co-sponsoring House Bill 428.

“In effect, fees such as this are just more ways for the state to take the taxpayers’ money and continue down the dangerous path of spending and debt,” Blair said.

Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, the late license renewal and vehicle registration fees generated $6.4 million. That includes $664,760 from tardy drivers and vehicle owners in Montgomery, Greene, Miami, Clark and Warren counties.

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